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At least 937 records · Page 52

Light Shining Through a Thin Wall: Evanescent Hidden Photon Detection

A kinetically-mixed hidden photon is sourced as an evanescent mode by electromagnetic fields that oscillate at a frequency smaller than the hidden photon mass. These evanescent modes fall off exponentially with distance, but nevertheless yield detectable signals in a photon regeneration experiment if the electromagnetic barrier is made sufficiently thin. We consider such an experiment using superconducting cavities at GHz frequencies, proposing various cavity and mode arrangements that enable unique sensitivity to hidden photon masses ranging from $10^{-5}$ eV to $ 10^{-1}$ eV.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Process Modeling and Analysis of a Novel Sorbent Material for Direct Air Capture Applications

This poster presents results of Task 9.0, Advanced Modeling Support of CDR Pilot Projects, of the Carbon Dioxide Removal program (CDR FWP23). Specifically, the poster presents the multi-scale modelling framework to investigate alternate processes configuration for DAC applications including Vacuum-Assisted Temperature Swing Adsorption (TVSA) process and sweep gas for regeneration.

Caballero, Daison↗

Sorbent system for removing ammonia and organic compounds from a gaseous environment

A first process and sorbent for removing ammonia from a gaseous environment, the sorbent comprised of graphene oxide having supported thereon at least one compound selected from metal salts, metal oxides and acids, each of which is capable of adsorbing ammonia. A second process and sorbent system for removing ammonia and a volatile organic compound from a gaseous environment; the sorbent system comprised of two graphene-based materials: (a) the aforementioned graphene oxide, and (b) a nitrogen and oxygen-functionalized graphene. The sorbents are regenerable under a pressure gradient with little or no application of heat. The processes are operable through multiple adsorption-desorption cycles and are applicable to purifying and revitalizing air contaminated with ammonia and organic compounds as may be found in spacesuits, aerospace cabins, underwater vehicles, and other confined-entry environments.

Junaedi, Christian↗

Super-adsorbing porous thermo-responsive desiccants

Thermo-responsive hydrogel composite (TRHC) desiccants having high adsorption capacities, fast adsorption/desorption rates, and low regeneration temperatures (Treg) compared to traditional desiccants. TRHC desiccants may be synthesized by freeze drying. The porous structures resulting from freeze drying copolymers of thermo-responsive polymers and/or hygroscopic agents may be combined with hygroscopic inorganic salts, resulting in TRHC desiccants having superior performance properties.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Buffer-free process cycle for CO 2 sequestration and carbonate production from brine waste streams with high salinity

A method includes: (1) using a chelating agent, extracting divalent ions from a brine solution as complexes of the chelating agent and the divalent ions; (2) using a weak acid, regenerating the chelating agent and producing a divalent ion salt solution; and (3) introducing carbon dioxide to the divalent ion salt solution to induce precipitation of the divalent ions as a carbonate salt. Another method includes: (1) combining water with carbon dioxide to produce a carbon dioxide solution; (2) introducing an ion exchanger to the carbon dioxide solution to induce exchange of alkali metal cations included in the ion exchanger with protons included in the carbon dioxide solution and to produce a bicarbonate salt solution of the alkali metal cations; and (3) introducing a brine solution to the bicarbonate salt solution to induce precipitation of divalent ions from the brine solution as a carbonate salt.

Sant, Gaurav↗

Highly tunable, inexpensive and easily fabricated magnetocaloric materials

A method is provided of making a magnetocaloric alloy composition comprising Ni, Co, Mn, and Ti, which preferably includes certain beneficial substitutional elements, by melting the composition and rapidly solidifying the melted composition at a cooling rate of at least 100 K/second (Kelvin/second) to improve a magnetocaloric property of the composition. The rapidly solidified composition can be heat treated to homogenize the composition and annealed to tune the magneto-structural transition for use in a regenerator.

Bez, Henrique Neves↗

Filter 'Cook-Off': Filter Selection via Side-by-Side Testing at Actual Process Conditions - 20040

In 2005, the THOR steam reforming fluidized-bed reactor technology was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy for treatment of sodium-bearing waste at the INL. During the final phase of commissioning prior to radiological operations, regeneration of the high temperature filters in the process gas filter (PGF) vessel became ineffective. After approximately 50 days of testing, the differential pressure across the filters began increasing exponentially and the plant had to be shutdown. Subsequent investigation revealed that the Inconel 625 (I625) sintered metal filter media was corroding in the 550 deg. C reducing environment. A pilot plant run tested four candidate replacement filter media. The top candidate was further tested during a long-term pilot plant run to validate the selection. Data from the testing indicate the selected filters will provide reliable service throughout the life of the project, including after in-situ radiological decontamination. This paper presents the data from this effort and reinforces the value of pilot plant testing. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Chromate Removal by Long Life IX Resins Without Continuous pH Adjustment - 20083

Long life resins are available for chromate removal from water but have traditionally had the disadvantage of requiring pH adjustment, first to reduce pH before treatment, and then to raise pH following treatment. The requirement for double pH adjustment leads to a significant increase in TDS, added complexity, risks associated with the use of strong acids and bases, and the ongoing costs of purchasing and using these chemicals. The mechanism of removal in long life resins used for chromate removal is ion exchange, followed by reduction of hexavalent chromium to trivalent chromium, followed by immobilization of trivalent chromium within the IX resin polymer. The second step is rate limiting and pH dependent and is the reason why lowering pH before treatment has until now been necessary. However, there is a reasonably simple way to use these long life resins that does not require continuous pH adjustment. By taking a portion of the treatment vessels off line and soaking them in a low pH solution, the rate constant for the reduction step is increased sufficiently to catch up, making the ion exchange step the limiting factor. The long life resin is effectively regenerated by the low pH soaks. Rejuvenated resin beds can then be put back on line and operated at the natural pH of the feedwater. This method of operation is protected by US Patent no. US20150136706A1. (author)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

A Comparison of Groundwater Sampling Technologies, Including Passive Diffusion Sampling, for Radionuclide Contamination - 20205

Using traditional high-flow purge methods for long-term water quality monitoring of deep groundwater wells can be expensive, affect contaminant migration, and produce excessive volumes of discharge water that can be difficult to manage. The use of low-flow pumping methods and depth discrete bailers (DDBs) can reduce the cost of sampling deep groundwater wells. In general, using different pumping methods to obtain reproducible and representative groundwater can be challenging. Passive diffusion samplers (PDSs) have successfully been used in long-term monitoring for volatile organic compounds, major ions, and trace-elements, but application has been limited for stable and radioactive isotopes. Beginning in 2018, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) conducted three sampling events to test the ability of PDSs and DDBs to obtain reproducible and representative groundwater samples. The sampled well is completed in a regional, permeable carbonate aquifer and is one in a set of wells that have historically been used for tritium tracer testing. All samples were obtained at 180 m (590 ft) below land surface (bls) in a 13.97 cm (5.5 inch) uncased well that has a total depth of 202 m (662 ft) bls. The first sampling event deployed a regenerated cellulose dialysis membrane (RCDM) PDS for 14 days with deionized water as the blank. The second sampling event deployed a RCDM for 27 days also with deionized water as the blank. The third sampling event deployed a Dual Membrane (DM) PDS for 65 days using a blank of tritium-dead carbonate water. The DM PDS was used to assess the effect of longer term deployment on tritium concentrations and address whether or not the PDSs reached equilibrium with ambient groundwater. The day after each of the three passive samplers were retrieved a DDB was used to obtain discrete non-integrated groundwater samples. For each DDB sampling day, the bailer was lowered into the well 10 consecutive times to determine if the water chemistry changed from the first to the last bailed sample. Quality assurance samples including blanks and duplicates were obtained during all three sampling events. All blank waters had tritium concentrations less than 21±33 pCi/L. Major ion (e.g. calcium, chloride, sodium, and sulfate) results were compared between all samples obtained with RCDM and DDB. Major ion concentrations showed a coefficient of variation of less than 6% between all RCDM and DDB samples; however, the coefficient of variation between the different deployment times and the two different methods for trace-element concentrations was much larger, particularly for manganese (82%), lead (41%), and zinc (33%). Stable isotope values were compared between the RCDM and DDB samples. The DDB sample results all fell within analytical uncertainty and were considered representative of the formation groundwater. The stable isotope values from the RCDM samples indicated that a longer deployment time was necessary to gain equilibrium and to obtain representative groundwater samples. Tritium results from groundwater samples obtained from the RCDM, DM, and DDB indicate that groundwaters obtained with PDSs produced tritium concentrations 2 to 3 times higher (between 1,426 and 3,060±87 pCi/L) than groundwaters obtained with a DDB (479 to 1,219±51 pCi/L). The longer the passive diffusion samplers were deployed, the higher the tritium concentration, suggesting that equilibrium with tritium was not reached within a 27-day deployment. DDB samples showed tritium results declining from the first to the last bailed sample for all three sampling events. This research suggests that tritium results from groundwater samples obtained from PDSs are more reproducible than samples obtained from DDBs. Also, PDSs likely do not accumulate isotopes of water but rather equilibrate with the ambient groundwater. On the other hand, both PDSs and DDBs were able to provide representative groundwater samples for major ions and have the potential to produce representative groundwater samples for stable isotopes of water (δD and δ{sup 18}O). Utilizing the most effective method for sampling groundwater is important for long-term groundwater monitoring. Quantifying the ability of passive diffusion groundwater samplers to obtain representative radioactive chemistry samples will help determine if these methods can be a useful alternative to pumping and purging wells for long-term monitoring. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Performance and Economic Evaluation of sCO2 Bottoming Cycles for Natural Gas Combined Cycle Plants with Capture

Natural gas combined cycles (NGCCs) with carbon capture are expected to play a significant role in decarbonization of the power generation sector. NGCC plants generally use triple pressure reheat steam Rankine power cycles for the bottoming cycle. Some studies in the literature have investigated the application of recompression and cascade style supercritical CO2 (sCO2) cycles for NGCC bottoming cycle applications but these studies have focused on power plants without carbon capture. However, NGCC plants fitted with post-combustion solvent-based CO2 capture systems will require a significant amount of steam for solvent regeneration and this can have a major impact on the optimal sCO2 bottoming cycle design. This study investigates the performance and economic potential of sCO2 bottoming cycles for H-class gas turbine based NGCC plants with a post-combustion capture system. A portion of the gas turbine exhaust heat is used for generation of steam required for solvent-based capture system while the rest of the waste heat is utilized in an sCO2 bottoming cycle for power generation. Overall, the performance and LCOE of investigated sCO2 bottoming cycles is similar to that of a state-of-the-art triple pressure reheat steam Rankine cycle. As the gas turbine exhaust temperature increases (beyond 630oC), sCO2 bottoming cycles begin to show greater performance and economic benefits compared to a steam Rankine cycle.

Pidaparti, Sandeep↗

Method and system for dehumidification and atmospheric water extraction with minimal energy consumption

Methods, systems and devices for managing humidity within an HVAC system including a nanostructured desiccant porous material configured to adsorb water from an inlet stream at a first air pressure and to release water from that material when subjected to a second air pressure when the second air pressure is lower than the first air pressure is located within a particular location so as to allow for the passage of wet air over the materials and allow adsorption of the water on to the material. When coupled with a vacuum pump water can be collected and released from the materials and the system, regenerating the material for future use and removing water from a stream at a significantly lower cost than existing processes.

McGrail, Bernard P.↗

Scalable preparation of oxygen carriers for chemical looping

Wet impregnation of active metal precursors into porous substrates, together with selective adsorption of the precursors on the pore surfaces, enables transition metal oxides derived from the precursors to disperse throughout the substrate, even at the nanoscale, without increased sintering or agglomeration, thereby forming oxygen carriers suitable for chemical looping. The porous substrate can be an oxide, for example SiO 2 . The oxygen carriers can comprise relatively large oxide loadings of over about 20 wt % and exhibit high reactivity over many regeneration cycles with substantially no loss in oxygen transport capacity or decrease in kinetics. The use of multiple transition metal oxides, for example NiO in addition to CuO, can greatly enhance chemical looping performance.

O′Malley, Kyle↗

Extraction and Separation of Rare-Earth Elements from Coal Fly Ash and Leachate using a Recyclable Ionic Liquid

Coal fly ash (CFA) can be a promising source for recovering rare-earth elements (REEs), as it contains a broad range of REEs with average concentrations frequently exceeding those in traditional rare earth mines. Recent research from our group has demonstrated that REEs can be preferentially extracted from CFA solids using a recyclable ionic liquid (IL), betainium bis-(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Hbet][Tf2N]). When CFA was heated with the mixture of IL and an aqueous solution above 65°C, most leached REEs partitioned into the IL phase and were separated from the bulk elements. Subsequent acid stripping of the REE-loaded IL removed the REEs and regenerated the IL for reuse in multiple extraction cycles. This IL-based REE-CFA recovery method has been applied to ten CFA samples derived from different coal sources, including ash recovered from disposal ponds. Analysis of 34 elements confirmed the process consistently achieved high REE recovery efficiency, with strong selectivity over bulk and trace elements across diverse CFA types. In addition to the IL-solid extraction, the performance of [Hbet][Tf2N] in extracting REEs from fly-ash leachates have been evaluated by four commonly used leaching reagents, including HCl, HNO3, H2SO4, and citrate. During the IL-leachate extraction, [Hbet][Tf2N] was mixed and heated with a Class C fly ash leachate generated from each leaching reagent, followed by an acid stripping. It was observed that the partitioning and recovery of REEs increased as the leachate pH increased from 3 to 11. Among the investigated leachates, HCl and citrate proved to be the most compatible with IL extraction, exhibiting a slightly higher REE recovery and a lower non-REE co-extraction compared to the IL-solid extraction. Sc, Y, Nd, Sm, Gd, Dy, and Yb consistently showed a high recovery rate from both CFA solids and leachates. Notably, Pr, Tb, and Ho, which were not previously leached from the CFA solids, were partially recovered from the leachates. Overall, our studies revealed the strong potential of [Hbet][Tf2N] for effectively recovering REEs from leachates, highlighting its applicability as a sustainable strategy for other aqueous REE feedstocks. Furthermore, a techno-economic analysis will be performed to quantify the economic viability of the IL-based REE recovery method and guide future process improvement.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Integration and commissioning plan of Full Flow Purifier at Muon Campus

The Full Flow Purifier for Fermilab's Muon Campus uses a charcoal bed surrounded by a liquid nitrogen jacket to purify up to 240 g/s of helium gas. Fabrication by Ability Engineering Technology Inc. has been completed and the purifier delivered to Fermilab. It is the largest purifier to be used at Fermilab based on both capacity and size. A previous paper discussed the design of purifier for various operational conditions and horizontal shipping. The purifier is designed to withstand 5g force in vertical and 2g force in lateral and longitudinal directions. Transportation experience from vendor to Fermilab and within site is discussed. Integration of the purifier involved design and fabrication of a liquid nitrogen transfer line, regeneration system, and helium piping to connect it to Muon Campus cryogenic system. It also involved establishing electrical, instrumentation and controls connections to the system. Integration of the purifier is discussed in detail. The purifier is to be commissioned using up to 4 MYCOM helium compressors to supply helium and liquid nitrogen supplied by a 60,000-liter tank. Actual effectiveness of the 3-stream heat exchanger is to be estimated based on measured temperatures and flow rate. Impurity levels will be monitored at inlet and outlet of the purifier. Theoretical adsorption capacity of the purifier is calculated based on the measured temperatures and flowrates and is compared to actual adsorption capacity over time.

Subedi, J. [Fermilab] (ORCID:0009000185837576)↗

Determining protein polarization proteome-wide using physical dissection of individual Stentor coeruleus cells

Cellular components are non-randomly arranged with respect to the shape and polarity of the whole cell. Patterning within cells can extend down to the level of individual proteins and mRNA. But how much of the proteome is actually localized with respect to cell polarity axes? Proteomics combined with cellular fractionation has shown that most proteins localize to one or more organelles but does not tell us how many proteins have a polarized localization with respect to the large-scale polarity axes of the intact cell. Genome-wide localization studies in yeast found that only a few percent of proteins have a localized position relative to the cell polarity axis defined by sites of polarized cell growth. Here, we describe an approach for analyzing protein distribution within a cell with a visibly obvious global patterning - the giant ciliate Stentor coeruleus. Ciliates, including Stentor, have highly polarized cell shapes with visible surface patterning. A Stentor cell is roughly 2mmlong, allowing a ‘‘proteomic dissection’’ in which microsurgery is used to separate cellular fragments along the anterior-posterior axis, followed by comparative proteomic analysis. In our analysis, 25% of the proteome, including signaling proteins, centrin/SFI proteins, and GAS2 orthologs, shows a polarized location along the cell’s anterior-posterior axis. We conclude that a large proportion of all proteins are polarized with respect to global cell polarity axes and that proteomic dissection provides a simple and effective approach for spatial proteomics.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

A census of the lung: CellCards from LungMAP

The human lung plays vital roles in respiration, host defense, and basic physiology. Recent technological advancements such as single-cell RNA sequencing and genetic lineage tracing have revealed novel cell types and enriched functional properties of existing cell types in lung. The time has come to take a new census. Initiated by members of the NHLBI-funded LungMAP Consortium and aided by experts in the lung biology community, we synthesized current data into a comprehensive and practical cellular census of the lung. Identities of cell types in the normal lung are captured in individual cell cards with delineation of function, markers, developmental lineages, heterogeneity, regenerative potential, disease links, and key experimental tools. This publication will serve as the starting point of a live, up-to-date guide for lung research at https://www.lungmap.net/cell-cards/. We hope that Lung CellCards will promote the community-wide effort to establish, maintain, and restore respiratory health.

COVID↗

A compact design for an electric driven hydraulic gear machine capable of multiple quadrant operation

This paper presents an innovative design of an integrated electro-hydraulic (EH) flow generation unit able to operate in multiple quadrants. The proposed unit is composed of a hydraulic machine which can operate in either pumping or motoring mode, and an electric machine, which can operate as electric motor or generator. The adopted morphological integration of the two unit fulfills the goals of maximizing compactness, power to weight ratio, energy efficiency and quietness. Furthermore, the design results from a numerical optimization procedure that includes detailed simulation of both the electric machine and the hydraulic machine, using simulation tools previously developed by the authors, but combined for the first time in this work. After describing the optimization procedure, the paper focuses on the design integration aspects of the novel unit. A 9 kW prototype of the integrated unit was also fabricated and tested to verify its performance. Tests results show a measured overall energy efficiency up to 69%, demonstrating the potentials of the proposed concept, despite some limitations present in the first prototypes which could be addressed in future design refinements.

42 ENGINEERING↗

CO 2 capture from wet flue gas using a water-stable and cost-effective metal-organic framework

We report the use of MIL-120 as a water-stable and cost-effective metal-organic framework (MOF) for selectively capturing CO 2 from wet flue gas. Synthesized using inexpensive and environmentally benign reagents in water, MIL-120 possesses one-dimensional pores decorated with hydroxyl-bridged Al(III) ions and benzene rings with an interstitial spacing of 4.78 Å. Carbon dioxide isotherms show steep uptake at low pressure, and the affinity of MIL-120 for CO 2 is 44 kJ mol –1 . CO 2 -loading 13 C solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier transform infrared spectra tracking the sorption of CO 2 into MIL-120 revealed that the interplay of pore size, functionality, and dimensionality is vital for CO 2 restriction within the pores of MIL-120. Breakthrough experiments reveal that MIL-120 can capture CO 2 from dry and wet flue gas with uptake capacities of 1.215 and 1.118 mmol g –1 , respectively. Our work highlights the synthetic benefits of MIL-120 and elucidates its selective capture of CO 2 from wet flue gas.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗